Picture of the day - March 16, 2006

"Sugarin Off" Time In New England

Photo courtesy of Sandy Hunt. Every February and March, the sap flows once again in the sugar maple trees of New England. Holes are drilled into the tree trunks and buckets are hung under a spout to catch the flowing sap. The sugary maple sap is then processed into delicious maple syrup or maple sugar candy. The process of tapping the trees and collecting the sap is known as "Sugarin Off" - a yearly ritual in many communities in New England. Modern automated "Sugarin Off" operations use plastic tubing to collect the sap and carry it to a large storage container - often with the aid of pumps. While this method is quite efficient, it also eliminates much of the charm and sense of history that one enjoys while passing by a maple grove with buckets hanging from the trees. Fortunately, many New Englanders still collect maple sap the old-fashioned way. Today's picture features one such traditional "Sugarin Off" in Granby, CT, a lovely community that still maintains the charm and beauty associated with the typical rural New England town. It was taken by Sandy Hunt of Flowing River Photos. You're invited to visit the Maple Syrup Museum for more information on the history of maple syrup production. Picture Of The Day Homepage | Submit a photo More Interesting Articles